Computer graphics are used in a variety of formats and may include almost everything on a computing device that is not text or sound. From graphical interfaces to video games and movies, computer graphics provide a computer-rendered visual representation of an object or scene to a viewer or user. Computer graphics may come in the form of a single object or a collection of objects set against a computer-rendered background to create a computer graphic scene. The objects and background of a computer-rendered scene may also include several techniques to provide the scene with a more realistic or pleasing look.
The goal of many computer graphic designers is to provide a computer-rendered graphic or scene that is aesthetically pleasing to a viewer. To provide the more realistic or pleasing look to a computer graphic scene, several rendering and lighting techniques have been developed. These techniques may include 3D projection, ray tracing, shading and texture mapping. Such techniques perform mathematical calculations on the computer graphics to adjust the color and intensity of the pixels of the graphic or scene to give the sense of lighting and detail to the rendered objects. The artificial lighting and rendering of the objects and background of a scene may provide a more realistic or enjoyable look to the computer-rendered objects.
Typical lighting or rendering techniques may provide the effect of several artificial lights within the computer graphic scene. For example, a computer graphic scene may include a directional or point light source to light the objects of the scene from a particular direction and an ambient light source to provide definition to the objects. These techniques provide the effect of lighting upon the objects and background of a scene. These effects may provide definition and realism to the computer graphic. However, traditional lighting techniques may appear flat and artificial to some viewers of the graphic.